This invention relates to topical antiviral preparations and, more particularly, to a topical preparation and method for suppression of skin eruptions caused by herpes simplex virus.
Several topical preparations have been developed in an attempt to control the severity and duration of vesicle eruption episodes in patients infected with herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). One such topical preparation is acyclovir ointment. A second preparation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,707, issued Sep. 21, 1982, to Keith, et al. This preparation uses butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in an inert carrier such as mineral oil.
Both of these prior art topical preparations have proved to be only marginally effective in reducing the episode duration. Typically, use of these preparations reputedly reduces episode durations from seven days to three days. J. T. Richards, M. E. Katz, and E. R. Kern, in their report "Topical butylated hydroxytoluene treatment of genital herpes simplex virus infections of guinea pigs", Antiviral Research, 5 (1985) pp. 281-290, concluded that topical treatment of recurrent HSV-2 infections with BHT in mineral oil failed to alter the number of recurrent episodes or days with lesions.